Contains both The Reindeer People and Wolf's Brother
From the cover flap:
His father dead, young Kerlew and his mother, Tillu the healer, survive by moving from tribe to tribe. Magical promise shines within Kerlew, and the shaman Carp, recognizing the boy's gift, tries to claim both mother and son for his own. But Tillu wants no part of him; she takes her son and flees, until she and Kerlew meet the nomadic reindeer people who follow the vast herds. Welcomed by the tribe, they are all too soon caught up in a dangerous struggle between the hunter/herder Heckram, who helps Kerlew search for his true spirit friend, and the dangerously ambitious Joboam. Then Carp, too, finds the reindeer people and begins a cunning campaign to become their shaman, and to lure both Kerlew and Tillu back into his power. But Kerlew has felt the call of the Wolf spirit and now must seek the true path in a conflict between his totem and that of Carp's spirit of the Bear.
From the cover flap:
His father dead, young Kerlew and his mother, Tillu the healer, survive by moving from tribe to tribe. Magical promise shines within Kerlew, and the shaman Carp, recognizing the boy's gift, tries to claim both mother and son for his own. But Tillu wants no part of him; she takes her son and flees, until she and Kerlew meet the nomadic reindeer people who follow the vast herds. Welcomed by the tribe, they are all too soon caught up in a dangerous struggle between the hunter/herder Heckram, who helps Kerlew search for his true spirit friend, and the dangerously ambitious Joboam. Then Carp, too, finds the reindeer people and begins a cunning campaign to become their shaman, and to lure both Kerlew and Tillu back into his power. But Kerlew has felt the call of the Wolf spirit and now must seek the true path in a conflict between his totem and that of Carp's spirit of the Bear.
(Includes The Reindeer People and Wolf Brother)
I like Robin Hobb's books a lot, so when I found out she has also published a bunch under 'Megan Lindholm' of course I had to go get them! These were the first I read under this name. It's really one story, that was originally divided in two by the publisher, and later pout out as an omnibus called "The Saga of the Reindeer People."
I'm not sure why she uses two different names. The style of writing was recognizably the same, although this story is somewhat darker than many of her epic 'Robin Hobb' fantasies.
The author's note (you can read it here: http://www.trussel.com/prehist/lindholm.htm) said that she originally conceived this story as a fantasy, but was encouraged to write it as historical fiction by the publisher. It's set in Bronze Age Lapland (Scandinavia), but it still has the feel of fantasy, and some essential-to-the-plot fantastic/spiritual elements.
With its scope and early setting, it reminded me at times of Clan of the Cave Bear.
It tells the story of a single mother struggling to raise her mentally disabled young son alone, in a society which is intensely dependent on social, tribal life.
She has survived and been taken in by different groups because of her skill with herbs, but when she encounters a shaman who tries to take emotional control of her son and claim her as his woman, she flees - but has the luck to fall in with another group - one that treats women more fairly, is somewhat wealthier - and includes a man she may actually like.
But not all is perfect - the shaman may be in pursuit, and a series of crimes may be poisoning this tribe from the inside...
I like Robin Hobb's books a lot, so when I found out she has also published a bunch under 'Megan Lindholm' of course I had to go get them! These were the first I read under this name. It's really one story, that was originally divided in two by the publisher, and later pout out as an omnibus called "The Saga of the Reindeer People."
I'm not sure why she uses two different names. The style of writing was recognizably the same, although this story is somewhat darker than many of her epic 'Robin Hobb' fantasies.
The author's note (you can read it here: http://www.trussel.com/prehist/lindholm.htm) said that she originally conceived this story as a fantasy, but was encouraged to write it as historical fiction by the publisher. It's set in Bronze Age Lapland (Scandinavia), but it still has the feel of fantasy, and some essential-to-the-plot fantastic/spiritual elements.
With its scope and early setting, it reminded me at times of Clan of the Cave Bear.
It tells the story of a single mother struggling to raise her mentally disabled young son alone, in a society which is intensely dependent on social, tribal life.
She has survived and been taken in by different groups because of her skill with herbs, but when she encounters a shaman who tries to take emotional control of her son and claim her as his woman, she flees - but has the luck to fall in with another group - one that treats women more fairly, is somewhat wealthier - and includes a man she may actually like.
But not all is perfect - the shaman may be in pursuit, and a series of crimes may be poisoning this tribe from the inside...
